buzzz worthy. . .
Zack Ward ("Scut Farkus") and Bernie Nicholls to Change the California Constitution
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Nov. 23, 2015 -- John Oliver's coverage of DraftKings and FanDuel collected
more than 2.5 million views in the first week as the impact of the
daily fantasy sports (DFS) implosion took hold. Internal DFS policy
documents filed in court advised employees they should not win too much
money on competing websites. ESPN reported internal board minutes that
suggest DraftKings may have knowingly violated Federal law. A newly
filed class action by the fans name Visa, MasterCard and American
Express, among others, in a RICO suit accusing them of participating in a
racketeering scheme facilitating illegal gambling. Another Florida
lawsuit names DraftKings and FanDuel, along with the NBA, MLS,
affiliates of MLB and NHL, various media companies and banks and payment
processors as defendants for racketeering among other things. More than
36 lawsuits have been
filed in just over 6
weeks.
Meanwhile,
DraftKings has retained David Boies, arguably one of the top legal
talents in the country. In addition to trying to shift the conversation
back to the skill vs. chance argument, a battle which the New York
Attorney General doesn't need to win to prevail in court, Mr. Boies is
quick to highlight the fact that FanDuel and DraftKings have been
operating in New York for years, potentially implying that since they
haven't been caught so far, it's too late for action.
"DraftKings
and FanDuel are collecting headlines almost as fast as John Oliver's
video is collecting views," said veteran actor Zack Ward, who played
'Scut Farkus' in A Christmas Story. "I mean... I may need to hire a
personal assistant to keep up to date on all of this. Daily fantasy
sports betting is dead in New York, period. Why does it matter that they
have been there for a few years? Is the Attorney General supposed to
turn a blind eye to illegal gambling just because he didn't take action
before? By the same logic, cops shouldn't stop cars going 90 mph when
the speed limit is 65 and just let them continue to be a threat to
everybody else because they haven't been caught in the first 5 miles.
That's completely ridiculous nonsense."
NHL Legend
Bernie Nicholls echoes Mr. Ward's view: "With the death of daily fantasy
sports betting looking like it's just around the corner, I can't help
but think that this is a good thing. Fans can go back to cheering for
their favorite real-world team like it should be, rather than cheering
for a mish-mash of players from different and competing teams.
DraftKings and FanDuel had their moment in the sun and they decided to
cram tons of obnoxious ads down our throats rather than work to legalize
and legitimize their products. But, since you can't keep gambling from
destroying sports, and daily fantasy is obviously gambling, I suppose
they had no choice. However, we DO have a choice."
On October 8,
2015, Zack sponsored the Sports Integrity Protection Amendment (SIPA) in
California to get us off the wrong path and onto the right one. "This
is how I see it... leagues will now end up spending money, time and
effort to defend themselves in court. Their investment in DraftKings and
FanDuel along with the companies themselves will go down the same
drain. For a little bit of 'fan engagement,' you get the cancer of
gambling on sports, addiction issues and unsolvable integrity problems.
As if that wasn't enough, you get sued in court for racketeering and
your reputation takes a hit. I'm an old-fashioned straight-up guy when
it comes to sports. Sports inspire us to be more, to try harder, to work
together, to believe we can and to turn dreams into reality. It should
stay that way. SIPA creates a thriving regulated marketplace for sports
trading that will benefit the fans, the players, the leagues, and the
state of California. This is a win-win for
everyone."
Bernie
Nicholls agrees. "Being drafted by the Los Angeles Kings and having
called California home for over a decade, I have a real soft spot for
the people and the state. To think I can be a part of SIPA and help work
to create a new economy for the state is an absolute honor. I believe
California should be the home of the World's First Sports Stock Market
and I will do what I can to rally the public and get the support we need
to make SIPA a reality."
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